Toby Nankervis has been selected as the man to fill the Sydney Swans' vacant ruck spot ahead of Sunday's clash with Melbourne.

As reported on Friday, Kurt Tippett will be sidelined for at least eight weeks now after the prognosis from surgery to repair his injured hamstring tendon pushed the expected return date back further.

Nankervis, who's featured at senior level six times since his debut last season, including one game earlier this year, sees him win out over fellow big man Sam Naismith.

The young ruckman leads four changes for the Round 13 encounter against the Demons with George Hewett, Dean Towers and Aliir Aliir also selected in the final team which was cut from the 25-man squad released on Thursday.

They replace Tippett (hamstring), Jeremy Laidler (knee), Harry Marsh (hamstring) and Harry Cunningham (omitted).

Speaking for Centrum Team Selection, coach John Longmire said the decision between the two ruckmen came down to match fitness.

"(Nankervis) has got a bit of senior footy behind him now while Callum Sinclair's ability to ruck the four quarters has been proven...we're really confident those two can do the job," he said.

"(Naismith) isn't far away, he just needs to play a full four quarters in the reserves which he's getting there, he just needs to put it together. Once he's done that, from a physical perspective he'll be right to go."

Laidler was a last-minute out after the defender pulled up sore post-training on Friday, presenting Aliir with his first opportunity since his Round 6 debut.

Hewett returns after spending a week on the sidelines with concussion while Towers earns his chance to impress after playing a solid month of football for the NEAFL Swans.

The Swans will go in heavily favoured having won eight of the past 10 meetings including the clubs' last encounter (Round 6, 2015) which ended in a 38-point win at the MCG.

Click here to see the full team.